Archive for May, 2008

After reporting last week that Shirley Bassey, singer of three Bond themes, was hospitalized, I am pleased to report she appears to be okay. MONACO, Monaco, May 31 (UPI) — Shirley Bassey has officially been discharged from a hospital in Monaco, where the Welsh singer underwent surgery, her spokesman says. Bassey’s spokesman, Paul Carey, said […]

Forbes has a slideshow of Bond gadgets. No such list is ever complete (except, of course, mine, and it took forever to compile). Excellent gadgets such as the rebreather, the remote control car (my favorite!), mini-safecrackers, and x-ray sunglasses are omitted.

Here’s a terrific little article in the National Post about Ian Fleming and James Bond. It looks at the biographical data on Fleming, and speculates as to who Bond really was, what inspired him, and so on. The pantheon of classic fictional heroes is small. Few creations — even those, like Harry Potter, who emerge […]

As a Bond fan, you’d have to be living in a cave the past few months to miss the news that this is Ian Fleming’s centenary year. Ian Fleming was born on May 28, 1908 and would have been 100 years old today. Fleming was many things, both negative and positive. Like most humans, he […]

www.SpyWise.net is packed with all sorts of insider interviews that would make great Bond fodder for discussions here at the UJBFB including the latest interviews on Lazenby and Get Smart… My pal, Dr. Wesley Britton, is the secret agent mastermind behind the site, amazing as he is 100% blind.

I just saw this. Shirley Bassey, 71 years old, had emergency surgery of an unspecified nature. The 71-year-old was admitted to hospital in Monaco, where she lives, with abdominal pains in the middle of the night last week. She was “making a good recovery and doctors are happy with her progress”, spokesman Paul Carey said.

Well, we all know how much Bond fans love best/worst lists and polls, and AdelaideNow has a bunch: Best Bond actor. Favorite Bond film. I can’t say I care for their favorite gadget poll. The choices are limited and include gadget-laden cars as gadgets; I like to separate the two. The Bond girl poll is […]